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My first inclination was to defend my absence from writing by saying I’ve been off in the corner reinventing myself, but I don’t think that’s true. While there has been a personal (writing) recess/restoration in play for sure – I think it’s been more evolutionary than reinvention. I’m not knocking the book – I rather enjoy Steve’s perspective, and highly recommend it, actually. For me though, it’s been more about moving to a new level of living my life. Maybe that’s reinventing – or maybe the idea of reinvention just added clarity to the process. Regardless …

There seems to be so much consumable ink out there these days, I felt it important to be certain, at least in my on spirit, that any written effort I put forth into the ethers had a destination in mind – even if it was just for my own growth. Voltair once said, “Writing is the painting of the voice.” And so here I go, at least for today, painting with these words what my soul seems to want to say.

As a coach, I encourage people to write; Diary, Blog, Journal, let it out. Make sure it matters to you, and let it out. Don’t write to prove or defend a point. That is a dangerous trap. And don’t write to impress someone either. Write to encourage your own soul to expand and evolve. I am firmly convinced that our personal mission here on earth, each and everyone of us, is to mature into the individual that we’ve been created to be. And one of the tremendous exercises we have to encourage that is writing. It’s an extraction process. It cleanses and refreshes the soul. And for some, yes, it’s even a reinvention. And that’s okay too. Otherwise the rust just takes over and stalls the whole process.

If you’ve been a reader of my musings for any length of time, you are probably aware that I am a huge fan of journaling. For me personally, it has become my lifeline connection; it’s my rants, my gratitudes, my prayers, and my conversations with God, and my inner self. That time and experience brings me back to center. Unfortunately my mornings are usually kind of foggy. Do you get that? My brain just isn’t perky until I get a cup of my favorite java and get into my quiet place. And on days I can’t get there, I can tell I missed it all day long.

My journal also becomes a refuge throughout the day as I pull back and reflect on my morning revelations. Today happened to be one of those more profound mornings. The fog was more thick than normal, and the gloom seemed to be waiting to pounce on me. So, pen and journal in hand, I thumbed through some pages of the current books on my reading list; grabbed a couple quotes, a passage or two from the Bible, and let it all soak in. What filtered out was (for me at least) a profound moment. Not so much revelation, but reminders of basic principals that are so easily robbed from our conscience mind. So I now share them with you in hopes that they will help you reset and refresh as you continue about your journey.

1. Stay connected to your vision
2. Remember it takes time
3. Enjoy the process
4. Discipline is the bridge
5. Set goals and take action
6. I am in charge of how I feel
7. Choose happiness (it’s a feeling)
8. Have a plan, draw a map
9. Stick to the map
10. Keep showing up

As we move into day three, I want to take a moment to encourage you in this journey. Ernest Hemingway wrote, “It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.” Remember to have fun, and don’t get frustrated by the details. It’s really not as much about the goal as it is about who you become on your way there.

Write It Down

If you haven’t already, it’s time to start tracking your progress. Somewhere, hopefully, you’ve written down your goal. (Remember, we talked about putting it on a note card and taping it to the bathroom mirror.) One of the best ways to keep track of this journey is to start a log book, or journal. It doesn’t have to be fancy. You can spend a dollar or a hundred dollars – the key is having a designated book where you can write down your experience.

Your story matters. And this 21 day leg of it is an integral part. When you write down your experience it gives you a benchmark to gauge your progress. Tomorrow you might remember you lost a pound, or walked a quarter mile further, but in two weeks it is unlikely those details will be that fresh. When you jot them down you can go back and remind yourself how things were, and you can see how far you’ve come. French author and journal writer Anaïs Nin wrote “We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect.”

Start recording your journey. Nothing fancy – and don’t worry about the grammar. “I’m not a writer” is not an excuse. Start by writing a sentence a day. It’s not about the quality of the content; it’s the exercise of recording your story that will matter in the end.